Table Of Content466 BOOK REVIEWS
flawed. In this, however, he was not dogmatic and relished the idea of changing and
perfecting it in the light of new knowledge. He could evidently be overbearing, but
this is an almost inevitable concomitant of such phenomenal energy and talents. It
led, however, to unpleasant fallings-out with contemporary journalists and with his
one-time mentor Robert Brown, with whom he had started his career in Banks'
library in 1819. There was a price to be paid for this energy in terms of health, and
the great man seems to have 'burnt out' at what was, for a botanist, a comparatively
early age. It is also sad that he seems constantly to have been in a precarious
financial state.
One of the greatest attractions of the book is the large number of beautifully
reproduced colour plates, mainly of orchids, and mostly by Miss Drake. More has
now come to light about this previously enigmatic artist. These include her Christian
names, though she was affectionately known as Ducky when she lived with the
Lindley family while drawing for the Botanical Register which Lindley edited. On
the subject of botanical illustration it should be noted that Lindley himself was a
fine artist and, in the account of his descendants, it could have been added that some
of these artistic genes passed to his great great grandson Rory McEwen.
The Antique Collectors' Club is to be congratulated on continuing its series of
collaborative botanical publications in lavishly illustrated volumes at affordable
prices.
H. J. NOLTIE
Psilocybin Mushrooms of the World: an identification guide. Paul Stamets. Berkeley,
California: Ten Speed Press. 1996. 245pp. ISBN 0 89815 839 7. $24.95
(paperback).
For those who have met him, Paul Stamets comes across as an interested and enthusi-
astic mycologist. He has previously written two books on mushroom cultivation and
one on Psilocybe mushrooms and their allies, and currently runs a large mushroom-
related business. This work is a distillation of a twenty-year love affair with psilo-
cybin-containing mushrooms.
The main part of the book is an identification guide. Prior to this there is an
introduction to many aspects of this group of fungi. For those unfamiliar with fungi
the psilocybin-containing mushrooms are hallucinogenic fungi, the most well-known
example being the magic mushroom. At several points suitable warnings about the
danger of picking and eating mushrooms are given, including a description of a
poisoning from the death cap. Having said that, this book is quite clear in its aim
- people do eat hallucinogenic mushrooms, so surely it makes sense to show them
how to safely identify what they are going to eat.
The first few pages of the book are taken up with a rather cursory look at the
history of the usage of hallucinogenic fungi. Included are various descriptions of the
BOOK REVIEWS 467
effects of taking some of these mushrooms, including one where Stamets was appar-
ently able to foresee the future. This is followed by small sections on ecology and
distribution, classic habitats, the dangers of mistaken identification, good tips for
great trips (including the admission that Stamets still regularly partakes 'to keep his
hand in'), field collection techniques and how to identify psilocybin-containing mush-
rooms. This latter section culminates in a small key and a distribution map that is
worse than useless, because it is too small and the distribution dots are too large.
From this it appears that the only part of the British Isles with psilocybin-containing
mushrooms is centred at Bristol and the rest of the country is barren.
The book is illustrated with several false colour illustrations, some photographs
and some electron micrographs. It is never stated but some of these are presumably
there to give some indication of the effect that consumption of some of these species
can give.
After these initial, superficial parts are the species descriptions themselves. The
fungi are divided into two categories, major and minor psilocybin-containing genera.
The key preceding these descriptions directs one to the appropriate genus, but once
there a simple case of flicking through the pictures and descriptions has to be under-
taken, as there is no key to species. Species covered are given both macroscopic and
microscopic descriptions along with ecological data and various comments. After
the section on the psilocybin-containing mushrooms there is a small part on poison-
ous lookalikes. It would have been preferable if the poisonous possibilities had
received more attention during the main part of the book, but this would have led
to repetition and in some cases a broad range of possible identifications. This is not
necessarily a bad thing; with a subject such as this one cannot be too cautious. The
final section of the book comprises an illustrated glossary, suggested reading list,
references and a list of addresses for further information.
There is no discussion of the legal aspects of these mushrooms, other than in
anecdotal passing. This would be difficult as the book is trying to cover a world-
wide distribution. It should be borne in mind that in some areas simple possession
is illegal, in other areas preparation of any sort (including drying) is required to fall
foul of the law.
This is an interesting book that would have benefited from some of the illustrations
being larger and more emphasis on poisonous species when describing the hallucinog-
enic ones. The author's enthusiasm shines out throughout, as do his hippie roots!
G. RUTTER
